Bt cotton replaces desi cotton in flag making

Bt cotton, a technology of an American seed company replaced ‘desi’ cotton Jayadhar, a popular variety of cotton grown in Karnataka that was also earlier used in making flags.

Flag making units at Bengeri in Hubli city and Garaga in Dharwad district, which caters to the nationwide demand for the tricolor are now using, wholly or partly, the khadi derived from Bt cotton. At some naufacturing units at Bengeri where flag making started in 2008, the tricolour is manufactured using khadi made out of a combination of Jayadhar and BT cotton.